In the end, Cheong-o failed to reproduce his innate divine art, but he did gain something of his own. Surprisingly, this immature, child-like crow had a talent for secret arts of the spirit soul, or more precisely, illusion arts.
What Jaekyung had taught him was the Soul Searching Technique, but Cheong-o only roughly listened to the gist of the secret art and used it just like that. And yet, the effect of the secret art he used so casually was far superior to when Jaekyung used it with determination.
Jaekyung even doubted whether Cheong-o had used the secret art at all. Because Cheong-o's Soul Searching Technique activated the moment their eyes met. The Qi Refining cultivators, upon meeting Cheong-o's gaze, would immediately become puppets, the light in their eyes vanishing as they faithfully answered any question asked.
Even when Jaekyung used the Soul Searching Technique with all his power, he could not produce such an effect. When he asked sensitive questions, it would take a considerable amount of time to get an answer, and on rare occasions, a late-stage Qi Refining cultivator with a firm will could even break the Soul Searching Technique.
In contrast, Cheong-o, who had learned the Soul Searching Technique only a few days ago... could already be called a master of it. Moreover, this was not the end of it.
"Caw! More to the right! To the right!"
Watching Cheong-o, who had his wings pressed tightly to his body and his head held stiffly high as he spouted meaningless orders, Jaekyung recalled a memory from his past life. A pot-bellied, middle-aged man with thinning hair who stood with his hands behind his back, only moving his mouth while everyone else worked.
The detestable image of him patting his bloated stomach while others massaged their aching backs now overlapped with the current Cheong-o. Jaekyung knew that this was, in fact, an absurd jealousy. But what could he do about the ache in his gut? With a hypnotism that surpassed the Soul Searching Technique, he had turned five human cultivators into puppets.
The problem was that the deed he was accomplishing with them was nest construction. The newly built nest was still gaudily bright and ridiculously large. Just looking at it seemed to make one feel inexplicably uncomfortable.
'Well, if that can be called Cultivation, I suppose it is.' Originally, though Cheong-o's spiritual wisdom was awakened, he had the disposition of a prodigal, with a strong tendency to only chase pleasure. But after dreaming of the 'Immortal master', his nature had changed greatly.
Should I say he had gained the self-awareness of a cultivator? He wasn't at the level of Han Cheong-yu, who risked his life for Cultivation, but a desire for improvement no less than that of any other cultivator had grown within him. So, aside from his ridiculous hobby, he could be called a proper cultivator in his own right.
In truth, this change had happened quite a while ago, but recently, sleeping itself was his Cultivation, so he'd had no chance to show such a cultivator-like side. But now that he had become a Great Spirit Beast and was free from his sleep addiction, things were different.
There was a certain meaning even in turning human cultivators into puppets to build a nest.
"Wipe it! Wipe it clean! Make it shinier!" ...
There probably was. Perhaps because his unbelievable talent for innate divine arts and illusion arts was so impressive, Cheong-o's other abilities were not at all satisfying to see.
As his body grew and his strength increased, his combat power had also become incomparably stronger than his days as a spirit beast, but for a Great Spirit Beast, that level of combat power was quite disappointing. But Jaekyung didn't mind.
It was because he had never once expected combat ability from Cheong-o. "I need you to act as my deputy."
"Deputy?"
"You'll periodically patrol the islands in the water territory in my stead."
Until now, Jaekyung had paid little attention to the humans in his water territory. He had only forbidden them from freely interacting with the humans of the outer regions, and had not tried to gain any benefit from them.
It wasn't that he had no desire to, but that they were so poor and unskilled that there was no benefit to be had even if he wanted to. But now, the situation had changed.
In the meantime, Jaekyung had passed on cultivation techniques to the humans in his water territory, and gifted them various basic cultivation arts and spiritual plants. All those investments were for this very moment. Now that they had been fattened up, it was time to collect what he couldn't before.
There would probably be resistance. Out of sight, out of mind. Whether it was affection or fear, feelings were bound to fade if they weren't felt on the skin for a long time.
The oppression of the Black Shark Gang had been thorough, while in contrast, Jaekyung's rule was closer to neglect. So the humans must have forgotten just how fearsome the Black Flood Dragon who had crushed the Black Shark Gang they so dreaded truly was. Controlling them was simple.
If they had forgotten fear, he just had to instill it in them again. But Jaekyung didn't want to do that. It was for no other reason than that it was simply a bother.
If he had the mental energy to pour into such a trivial matter, shouldn't it be invested in Cultivation? Originally, he had thought of using his human subordinates from Black Flood Dragon Island, but with Cheong-o breaking through the Great Spirit barrier, a better option had appeared.
"Can I do it?"
"You don't have to do anything special. Just fly over the islands and, depending on the situation, make some appropriate threats. They'll submit on their own."
No matter how unreliable he seemed, Cheong-o was still a bona fide Great Spirit Beast. Just a few of his cries would be enough for most humans to lose their will to resist and kneel.
"Okay. I get it. Should I go now?"
"No. We have to notify them first."
A few days later, Jaekyung summoned his human subordinates, including Han Cheong-yu. They seemed bewildered by the sudden summons, but when Jaekyung revealed the reason, their expressions immediately stiffened. Jaekyung observed their reactions carefully.
This was both a simple directive and a test. Jaekyung was curious whether they would submit by force, or follow willingly.
"I will receive your command."
Han Cheong-yu did not disappoint. As if it were nothing, he immediately prepared to go to Three Frog Island. Han Cheong-yu's reaction influenced the other humans as well.
'Tch, this won't work as a test.' The Blood Contract Restriction Art could command their hearts, but not their minds, so he had intended to use this opportunity to probe their inner thoughts. But Han Cheong-yu had ruined it.
'A mistake.
I should have called them without this one.' It was a pity, but what was done was done.
"Go. Convey my will to your fellow humans."
The cultivators of Black Flood Dragon Island left all at once. They split into several groups, visited the islands of the Black Flood Dragon water territory, and conveyed Jaekyung's will. There were those who sighed and complied, and there were those who resisted.
As per Jaekyung's prior instructions, Cheong-o visited those who resisted. A direct threat wasn't even necessary. It was enough for him to unleash the aura of a Great Spirit Beast and cry out a few times in the sky above the island.
"Caw!"
Cheong-o looked down at the humans trembling in fear below and his eyes gleamed. The humans of the island were already broken in spirit, trembling with fear, but Cheong-o continued to circle the island for a while, preening.
He didn't reveal any killing intent or make any threats, but just the presence of a Great Spirit Beast loitering about without concealing its presence was enough to inflict extreme terror upon the island's humans. The human cultivators of Black Flood Dragon Island diligently made their rounds of the islands, and Cheong-o followed them, continuing his display of power.
In less than two months, all the humans in the Black Flood Dragon water territory had decided to accept the new rules.
"Although the tribute is not without its burdens, it's still better than when we suffered under the Black Shark Gang. Besides, did not the Dragon Lord himself gift us the means to prepare this tribute long ago?"
Those who had no choice but to accept reality began to rationalize it. However, this rationalization was not just for the sake of a mental victory. They now had to offer tribute, but this burden was far better than when they were being extorted by the Black Shark Gang.
Also, unlike before, they now had their own skills, so as long as they were not lazy, there would be no problem in preparing the tribute.
* "Hmm."
Gwak Jeong-shin received the report on the small changes in the Black Flood Dragon water territory and nodded his head meaningfully. 'So he's finally decided to squeeze them.' He had no interest in fugitives who possessed neither skill nor wealth.
His interest lay with his business partner, hunkered down on Black Flood Dragon Island. 'Well, he's been patient for a long time.' People are resources; even if they seem useless, if you squeeze them hard enough, something is bound to come out.
Gwak Jeong-shin thought that his partner's patience up to this point was quite remarkable.
'Tribute.
How very human.' His patience was one thing, but the way he was now squeezing the humans was also impressive. To swing the sickle only to a point where it was not overly burdensome, aiming for long-term gain.
Was that not the way of the human race? 'But still... a crow Great Spirit Beast.' A Great Spirit Beast resembling a crow that was said to appear immediately above any island that resisted.
From its actions, it was clearly a subordinate of the Black Flood Dragon. Taken by itself, this was not strange. Powerful Great Spirit Beasts sometimes had Great Spirit Beast subordinates.
'Could it be that one?' Gwak Jeong-shin recalled that his partner had a unique cohabitant, one for whom he had gifted sweet treats a few times in the past. He remembered that cohabitant was a crow spirit beast; could it be that it had surpassed the Great Spirit barrier?
'Yes.
That must be it.' Gwak Jeong-shin murmured in admiration. As expected, does an extraordinary being stay by the side of another extraordinary being?
To think that the naive-looking crow from back then had such potential hidden within it.
"Withdraw all our informants from the Black Flood Dragon water territory."
"Yes, sir."
A monstrous bird of the Great Spirit stage is special. Combat power aside, its mobility is faster than a Foundation Establishment cultivator on a flying sword. With such a force added to Black Flood Dragon Island, the Black Flood Dragon water territory would certainly become far more dangerous than before.
Rather than taking a risk to get some trivial information, it was better to pull out completely.
"Vice Guild Leader, we have received word from the Bright Scroll Sect that they will be attending the upcoming grand auction."
"I see. Discreetly let the Golden Sun Sect know of this as well."
"Yes, sir."
"And... what happened to those guys from before?"
"We have not found them yet. Could it be that they have already left the Western Twin Lake?"
Gwak Jeong-shin shook his head.
"No. That's not possible. How could those who have already tasted the sweet fruit retreat so easily?"
"In that case... perhaps they have fled outside the human territories."
"That may be so."
A heavy atmosphere descended. Demonic cultivators who flouted order and rules as they pleased could sometimes be useful pawns, but in most cases, they were a nuisance. It was the same this time.
"Enough. If they've already left, there's nothing we can do. Tell the men on the front lines to be careful. For the time being, tell them to use spirit ships for all commercial travel."
"Understood."
Having given his orders, Gwak Jeong-shin turned his body. The splendid and magnificent view of the Great Capital came into sight. It was a familiar scene now, but it still captured his eyes and heart.
It was a joyous and proud sight every time he looked. How hard he had thrown himself into his work in the past to stand here. Two years ago, when he had finally stood in this spot, the emotion he felt was so intense that it affected even his Dao Heart.
At that time, he had been so happy, but not satisfied. Because even this position that everyone coveted was not his goal. From the beginning, his eyes were set on a higher place.
'Not much longer.' Only one step remained. Although the height of that single step was greater than the dozens of steps he had climbed before, he believed without a doubt that he would one day be able to climb it.